Airship



v C. C. BERRY.

-A|RSHIP. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. I9|9.

Patented June 115, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- WM w C. C BERRY. AIRSHI P.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1919.

Patented June 15, 1920 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 I Y 1 I" 5 j 171mm, Clare/we Cl? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE c. BERRY, or VALLEY PARK, MIssoURI.

AIRSHIP.

, it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing/i, forming part of this specification.

y invention relates generally to the art of aerial navigation and more particularly" to a new and novel form of dirig'ible airship, the principal object of my invention being to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing types of airships.

A further object of my invention is to provide an airship having a pair of'elongated cylindrical bodies arranged substantially parallel with each other, each body being adapted to receive a plurality of! buoyant gas bags or like containers, and to arrange between said bodies an elongated cabin structure which cooperates with the cylindrical bodies in forming a sustaining plane which is effective in materially increasing the lifting and carrying capacity of the airship.

A further object of my invention is to provide an airship embodying someof the desirable characteristics of a marine catamaran, in order tomaterially increase the stability ofthe airship during flight and at the same time minimizing resistance to the air, and further, to arrange the driving propellers upon the medial line of air resistance, thereby producing maximum propelling effect and enabling thev airship to be driven forwardly at a relatively high speed. 7

A further object. of my invention is to construct and form the end portions of the twin bodies of the airship so as to minimize the disturbance of atmosphere during the forward flight of the machine, thereby decreasing head resistance and likewise materially decreasing the so-called back-wash or frictional contact of the air with the surfaces of the ships' body during forward movement thereo v.

A still further object of my invention 1s "to provide for the positive control of an airship. thereby enabling the ship to be operated in practically all weather conditions,

Specification of Letters latent. Patented 11113 15, 1920,

Application filed .Tune 6, 1919.

Serial No. 302,241.

and further, to provide an airship that is capable of carrying comparatively heavy loads.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in -view, my invention consists in certain novel' features of constructlon and arrangement of the construction of the framework for the twin bodies of the airship and the framework for the centrally disposed cabin structure.

Fi 5 is a cross sectional view taken approxlmately on the line 5 -5 of Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the'accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention, it will be seen that my improved airship includes a pair of elongated cylindrical bodies 10 of uniform size and construction, said bodies being arranged parallel with each other and spaced apart a suitable distance. Each of these bodies is made up of a suitable framework which includes longitudinally disposed ribs 11 and transversely disposed frames which are composed of a plurality of truss structures 12 and the corresponding transverse framework of one body is connected to the corresponding'framework of the other body by suitable connecting rods and braces 13.

The framework of each elongated cylin-' drical body thus constructed is covered with suitable material, preferably water-proof fabric, although said covering may take the .form of thin metal plates, wood, fiber, or

the airship and maybe also fitted for the accommodation of passengers and freight.

Suitable propellers 16 are mounted for operation at both ends of the cabin structure,

said propellers being driven in any suitable manner, preferably by internal combustion engines, and if desired, propellers may be located at various points along the cabin structure, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The elongated cabin disposed between the cylindrical bodies 10 provides a structure which has a considerable horizontal surface and therefore the complete structure has the general form of a relatively large elongated plane which, when driven forwardly by the propellers, exerts great lifting and sustaining powers and at the same time giving a relatively high degree of stability in the presence of wind or adverse air currents.

The inner faces of the end portions of each elongated body are curved gradually outward until they meet the outer peripheral portions of said bodies, thereby providing substantially straight vertical faces 17 which are curved len hwise and extend from the extreme terminal portions of the bodies 10 to points on the inner sides of the bodies adjacent to the ends of. the cabin structure 15. This construction is effective in materially reducing air resistance against the forward end of the flying machine during its forward movement for during such movement the. air striking against the curved faces 17 will be forced toward a medial line between the bodies 10 and will pass rearwardly between said bodies immediately above and below the cabin structure, and which action tends to increase stability and maintain the equilibrium of the machine during flight. Further, as the air is deflected inwardly in both directions by the curved faces 17 at the forward ends of the bodies, said air will to a certain extent be compressed and in such condition will be engaged by the forward propellers with the result that the latter are much more efficient than where they are operating in norsuitable operating mechanism, and said planes being mounted to rock upon horizontal axes in order that they may perform the functions of elevating planes to guide the anaihine vertically during its forward i t.

isposedat the rear ends of the bodies 10 and operating upon vertical axes are rudders 19 which are preferably connected so as to operate inunison and these rudders are utilized for steering the machine latergitud'inally curved faces which extend from the inner sides of the bodies forwardly to the outer sides of said bodies.

2. In an airship of the class described, a pair of connected elongated cylindrical bodies arranged substantially parallel with each other, the forward ends of which are provided with. vertically disposed faces which gradually curve outwardly away from each other and terminate at the outer sides of said bodies. 3. Inan airship of the class described, a pair of connected elongated cylindrical bodies, the forward ends of which are pro vided with faces which are inclined with respect to the axes of said bodies, and said faces extending from the inner sides of the body forwardly to the outer sides thereof.

4. In an airship of the class described, a pair of connected elongated cylindrical bodies, the forward ends of which are provided with faces which are inclined with respe'ct to the axes of said bodies, said faces extending from the inner sides of the body forwardly to the outer sides thereof, and

a cabin structure disposed between said bodies' 5. In an airship of the class described, a pair of elongated cylindrical bodies, the ends of which are provided with vertically disposed longitudinally curved faces which extend from the inner sides of the bodies, forwardly to the outer sides of said bodies, and a cabin structure arranged between and connecting said bodies.

6. In an airship of the class described,

a pair ofconnected elongated cylindrical bodies, the rear ends of which are provided with. vertically. disposed longitudinally curved faces which extend from the inner sides of the bodies rearwardly tothe outer sides of said bodies.

7. In an airship of the class described, a pair of elongated cylindrical bodies arranged substantially parallel with each other, the'forward ends of which are progradually curve outwardly away from-each other from the'inner sides of the bodies to the outer sides thereof, a cabin structure arvided with vertically disposed faces which ranged between and connecting said bodies, and horizontally disposed planes arran ed on the outer sides of said elongated bodies.

8. In an airship of the class described, a pair of elongated cylindrical bodies arranged substantially parallel with each other, the forward ends of which are provided with vertically disposed faces which gradually curve outwardly away from each other from the inner sides of the bodies to the outer sides thereof, 'a cabin structure arranged between and connecting said bodies, and vertically disposed rudders arranged at the rear ends of said cylindrical bodies.

. 9. In an airship of the class described,

the inner side of the body to the outer side thereof.

10. In an airship of the class described,

a pair of connected elongated cylindrical bodies arranged substantially parallel with each other, the greater portion of each body having the same diameter,throughout its length and the rear end portion of eachbody being provided with a vertically disposed longitudinally curved face which extends from the inner side of the body to the outer side thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature this 3d day of June, 1919.

CLARENCE C. BERRY. 

